New analysis ranks U.S. cities where student loan debt is hardest to manage

A WalletHub analysis ranks U.S. cities where student loan debt is hardest to manage, finding that student loans total nearly $1.7 trillion nationally, averaging $39,600 per borrower. The study compared median student loan balances with median earnings for adults with bachelor’s degrees across 2,500 cities, identifying Ashtabula, Ohio; Orangeburg, South Carolina; and Loma Linda, California as having the highest debt-to-income ratios. The analysis also recommends using loan calculators and checking credit reports to manage repayment.